General Provisions (North Dakota Century Code: Title 61 Waters; Chapter 61-01) Country/Territory United States of America Territorial subdivision North Dakota Document type Legislation Date 2017 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Water Keyword Water abstraction Water supply Surface water Inland waters Wetlands Groundwater Drainage/land reclamation Geographical area Americas, Arctic, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This Chapter of the North Dakota Century Code contains general provisions regarding waters. It provides that all waters within the limits of the state from the following sources of water supply belong to the public and are subject to appropriation for beneficial use and the right to the use of these waters for such use must be acquired pursuant to chapter 61-04: (1) waters on the surface of the earth, excluding diffused surface waters but including surface waters whether flowing in well-defined channels or flowing through lakes, ponds, or marshes which constitute integral parts of a stream system, or waters in lakes; (2) waters under the surface of the earth whether such waters flow in defined subterranean channels or are diffused percolating underground water; (3) all residual waters resulting from beneficial use, and all waters artificially drained; and (4) all waters, excluding privately owned waters, in areas determined by the state engineer to be noncontributing drainage areas. A noncontributing drainage area is any area that does not contribute natural flowing surface water to a natural stream or watercourse at an average frequency more often than once in three years over the latest thirty-year period. Full text English Website www.legis.nd.gov